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A Real Spirit of Peace

2/11/2011

It has just been announced that Hosni Mubarak has left the presidential palace. The people of Egypt have won a victory but it was not through violence, it was not by force of arms, it was through massive, peaceful demonstrations in the street. Just what is ahead is uncertain, political instititutions must be created through which the will of the people can be sustained over time, no easy task.

What I think is most remarkable is the way this happened, it happened peacefully. The large mobs of people did not turn to violence despite being provoked many times. In further analysis of this movement I will be looking to see who was involved and what was done to make this such an effective but peaceful force.

The philosopher Slavoj Zizek has called it a "miracle" in an article I just placed on this website. It represents a real spirit of peace in concrete terms. Peace is viewed so often as an abstraction, but we are here seeing it in action. And Zizek clearly distinquishes between a true emancipatory movement and hostile, right wing movements based on hatred and exclusion (like the Tea Party and radio talkers in this country). The people of Egypt have put up with an unjust, oppressive regime for three decades and now they have created a space in the world for freedom. It should be an inspiration for us all and it should also help clarify what has been happening in the politics in our own country.